Camera question.

[ExSp33db1rd]

A recent new camera, nothing flash, ( no pun intended ! ) Kodak Easy Share C195, basically a pocket size point and shoot for Mrs. ExS. Came with an included 8GB SD card.

I did nothing, ( i.e. did not format the SD card ) took it out of its box, turned it on, used it successfully over a long trip from home this year, and when I got back removed the SD card and put it in the SD card reader slot of my laptop and transferred all the pictures on to my photo editing programme. No problem, satisfied.

Today - put the SD card into my laptop to transfer some recent photographs and ..... nothing. No recognition of anything in the computer slot.

I then inserted the SD card from my older camera into the computer,and read it successfully as expected.

I then connected the Kodak camera to the computer via the provided USB cable,
still nothing, but eventually a message on the camera that when connecting non-computer equipment, such as printers or projectors, to access the Kodak website for further details. I was clearly not trying to do that, I was of course connecting to computer eqmt.

I then used an external card reader and got the message that I must format the card to use it. I've never pre-formatted an SD card before use, and know that if I do it now I'll lose all the existing photographs.

I then opened a new SD card, formatted it and took a photograph - my computer SD slot now reads that!!

Don't understand, how am I to get the latest photographs off the original SD card ?

Any clues as to what is going on ?

Thanx.

[mixture]

I then opened a new SD card, formatted it and took a photograph - my computer SD slot now reads that!!

You should always format cards on the camera, not on your computer.

The above may also be the reason you could not see anything, certain cameras format their stuff in an obscure way that make it difficult (although not impossible) to pull files off using an SD card reader.

[Capetonian]

I have a Sony camera with an SD card. One of my computers will read the SD card, one won't even recognise it. I have no idea, these electrickery things are a law unto themselves.

I still have a film camera that I use sometimes. I use Filofax diary instead of electronics, and I won't have a smartphone. I would like to have radios with knobs that you turn instead of little electronic buttons. [/Rant over]

[SpringHeeledJack]

I'd concur with the advice of formatting the cards on the camera, rather than on the computer, if nothing else it keeps things simple. Maybe a file recover system would show the 'lost' photos again ?


SHJ

[dazdaz1]

might be worth a look at the Extended user guide.......

http://resources.kodak.com/support/p...xUG_GLB_en.pdf

[GrumpyOldFart]

ExS - Have you read page 36 of the manual? Might be worth a try instead of trying to transfer via the slot in your PC.

[EEngr]

After reading the SD card the first time in your computer (successfully), how did you go about removing it? And what OS is your computer using (Windows version, Mac or .... Linux). It's possible to 'scramble the brains' of a removable file system if it isn't 'unmounted' properly.

[ExSp33db1rd]

Mixture - I've never formatted an SD card before use, and have three cameras using them, and never had any problem downloading until now. I formatted the new one I have just used to play with via the camera menu, not the computer, and as mentioned, that does now transfer OK.

Dazdaz1 - I connected the camera to the computer with the supplied cable as detailed in the guide - no use. I haven't yet looked at the other options suggested in the guide, that will be my next trick !

Grumpy Old Fart - as above to Dazdaz1.

EEngr - I guess I just took it out, i.e. didn't use the "Safely Remove Hardware " option, but then again the slot isn't a USB slot, but a dedicated SD reader, this is not the second time I have tried to download, I've done it few times since starting, only this last time has proved impossible. The OS is Windows H'eight.

The guy who sold me the new SD card mentioned that he also had one or two SD cards that just refuse to divulge their data after a few successful applications.

Thanks to all for the suggestions, will keep battling and advise - hopefully !

P.s. I was able to transfer the latest photographs off the troublesome card on to an iPad, then e-mail them to my laptop, then Save As in my picture folder, then edit via my photo editing programme ( Picasa ) but this is Sledgehammer and Walnut stuff and shouldn't be necessary, and hasn't been until now.

[FullOppositeRudder]

I guess I just took it out, i.e. didn't use the "Safely Remove Hardware " option

I think that might have been the problem. It seems that sometimes you can 'pull' a solid state device without consequence; but apparently there are circumstances when doing this can cause the card /usb stick to be unreadable device thereafter.

I've had this happen to me once, and nearby friends managed to corrupt a couple of their SD cards containing 'once in a lifetime trip' pictures by apparently not being aware of the need to formally go through the 'safely remove hardware' steps. They got most of them back by engaging a very expensive data recovery service. Since this, I've been very astute about following this process to the letter.

I suggest that even if it can be salvaged, it is advisable to put the affected card in the bin, and get a new one to replace it. They are very inexpensive - especially when compared with what a roll of Kodachrome might have cost these days ...

FOR

[TheiC]

I'd absolutely agree with FullOppositeRudder, and add that whenever an SD card is put in a camera, the first thing to do is format it for that camera. Being a pessimist, I even format it for the individual slot it's in, on cameras which have two slots. Obviously, make sure you've downloaded and backed up the images from it first.

And yes, trash that card.

[crewmeal]

Agreed. Always format a card before use especially as some cheap and nasty ones have been known to have phishing links or other lurgies on them.

[henry_crun]

You have my deepest sympathy. On my first 'serious' digital camera I omitted to format the card and had similar problems. Most pics were there, but the very best ones were lost. The really close-up pic of a cormorant which surfaced right in front of me could be seen on the camera but could not be transferred to my laptop. Same for a diving gull in close-up screaming at me with claws extended and beak wide open. Awwwww!

[OFSO]

I have copied photographs many times off a camera card using the card reader on my PC, and have never had any problems. I do not use the"safely eject" system but I do ensure every file is closed before removing the card.

Highly recomended: a camera with wifi so you can uplink your (irreplacable) photographs from your camera to your home system as soon as you get a signal. If your camera does not have wifi, you can buy SD cards with wifi built in. Or just buy a smart phone with a decent camera.

[gemma10]

I had exactly the opposite problem. Filmed a steam train on the Olympus camera, transferred to laptop, hey presto terrific video, however when putting card back into camera-zilch. Dont get it.

[Mac the Knife]

"Highly recomended: a camera with wifi....."

Even more recommended: an Eye-Fi SD card (Wi-Fi built into the card!)

WiFi SD Cards: Eyefi Memory Cards: Wireless Photo and Video Uploads from your Camera to your Computer & the Web | Eyefi

Bit pricey though..

Mac

[Booglebox]

If you want to be really hardcore, do what I saw a friend of mine doing once:
- Pro Nikon camera
- Backpack with multiple motorcycle batteries connected to transformer
- Laptop also in backpack plugged in to transformer
- 1394 (mini-Firewire 400) cable from camera to laptop
- Two HDDs in laptop with RAID 1

Works great for pictures and video alike. Backpack was a bit heavy though at nearly 20kg. Also a small risk of fire, electrocution and/or battery acid leakage.